20 October, 2016

Venezuelan opposition leader caught with grenades, army vests

Venezuelan
right-wing opposition has been repeatedly accused of trying to ignite
violence in a bid to oust President Maduro’s socialist government.

Venezuelan
right-wing councilman José Vicente García was apprehended Tuesday
by the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service and caught with
grenades and military uniforms in his car in the state of Tachira.

Tachira
state Governor Jose Vielma Mora Gregorio confirmed on his Twitter
account that the arrest took place and posted pictures of García
along with the military equipment found in his car.

“Intelligence
bodies has captured young councilman José Vicente García with war
weapons, grenades and vests,” Gregorio said in a tweet Tuesday
morning.

The
Venezuelan government has long accused the opposition of attempting
to create chaos and unrest in the country in order to realize its
objective of removing socialist President Nicolas Maduro.

According to
reports, this was not the first time right-wing officials have been
caught with militarized equipment. In late August, the country’s
intelligence service detained Yon Goicochea who was found with
explosive materials.

Back in
September, the government said its security forces had managed to
prevent violent actions and a coup that was planned by the right-wing
opposition during the massive demonstrations on Sept. 1, which turned
out to be peaceful and with little to no violence.